Exploring The Globe: 80 Days Of Adventure And Wanderlust

In Jules Verne's classic adventure novel, 'Around the World in Eighty Days', wealthy English gentleman Phileas Fogg wagers that he can circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days. With his French valet Passepartout, Fogg embarks on a daring journey across continents, facing numerous obstacles and dangers along the way. The story, set in Victorian England, highlights the advancements in technology during this period, including the expansion of railways, which made global tourism more accessible. Today, travelling around the world in 80 days is much easier, with round-the-world (RTW) tickets offered by many airlines, but careful planning is still essential for such a trip.

London to Suez, Egypt

In Jules Verne's classic adventure novel, *Around the World in Eighty Days*, the protagonist, Phileas Fogg, and his valet, Passepartout, attempt to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days. The story, set in Victorian England, highlights the advancements in technology and the rapid growth of global tourism during this period. Here is a detailed overview of their journey from London to Suez, Egypt:

• Phileas Fogg and Passepartout depart from London by train at 8:45 p.m., beginning their journey to circumnavigate the globe.
• They travel from London to Brindisi, Italy, via Turin. This journey through France and the Alps takes them to Venice.
• In Brindisi, they switch to a steamer called "The Mongolia," which takes them across the Mediterranean Sea to Suez, Egypt. This leg of the journey takes seven days.
• Upon their arrival in Suez, they are watched by a Scotland Yard detective, Inspector Fix, who mistakes Phileas Fogg for a bank robber due to their similar descriptions.

The journey from London to Suez, Egypt, sets the tone for the rest of the story, as Fogg and Passepartout encounter challenges, make new friends, and experience the excitement of global travel in the Victorian era. Their trip across continents and seas showcases the technological advancements of the 19th century, making it possible to travel around the world in a way that would have been unimaginable just a few years earlier.

Suez to Bombay, India

The next leg of the journey from Suez, Egypt, to Bombay (now Mumbai), India, is a distance of 2,794 to 3,195 miles. In the novel, Phileas Fogg and his valet Passepartout take a steamer, the Mongolia, across the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, a journey of 13 days.

Today, there are a few more options for this journey. You could take a bus and a flight, which takes around 11 to 18 hours, or you could drive, which would take around 3 and a half days. If you're in a hurry, you could take a taxi to Ras Sedr, a bus to Sharm El-Sheikh, and then fly to Mumbai, which would take around 17 hours.

However, if you want to stick to the original route, you could take a steamer from Suez across the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean to Mumbai. This journey would likely take longer than the 13 days it took Phileas Fogg, as steamers are now a less common mode of transport. You could also look into shipping options, as some companies provide shipping solutions for cargo from Suez to Mumbai.

Bombay to Calcutta, India

After disembarking in Bombay, India, Phileas Fogg and his valet Passepartout take a train to Calcutta. This journey takes three days. However, upon arrival, they discover that the newspaper article that sparked their journey was incorrect—the railway ends at Kholby and resumes 50 miles further on at Allahabad.

To reach Allahabad, Fogg purchases an elephant and hires a guide. Along the way, they encounter a young Indian woman, Aouda, who is being led to a sanctuary where she is to be sacrificed according to the rite of Sati. Fogg and Passepartout rescue Aouda and bring her with them to Allahabad, where they board the train to Calcutta.

This leg of the journey takes a total of five days, including the two days gained by arriving in Bombay early and the two days lost during the rescue of Aouda.

• Bombay to Kholby by train: 3 days
• Kholby to Allahabad by elephant: 2 days
• Allahabad to Calcutta by train: less than 1 day

In the 19th century, the journey from Bombay to Calcutta could be made by sea or by land. The East India Company maintained a regular mail steamer service between Suez and Bombay, but the overland route via Egypt and the Nile River was also an option. This route was less popular due to the dangers of the Red Sea and the presence of hostile Bedouin tribesmen.

In the 20th century, it was possible to travel from London to Calcutta by bus. The journey, which began in 1957, took about 50 days and covered more than 10,000 miles. The bus route went through Belgium, Yugoslavia, and North-Western India. It was known as the Hippie Route and was operated by Albert Travel until 1976, when it was discontinued due to political tensions in the region.

Calcutta to Hong Kong

In the novel *Around the World in Eighty Days*, Phileas Fogg and his valet Passepartout travel from Calcutta to Hong Kong by steamer across the South China Sea. This leg of the journey takes 13 days.

In the 19th century, the journey from Calcutta to Hong Kong would have been undertaken by ship. The P&O Steam Navigation Company, for example, offered a fortnightly mail service between the UK and Hong Kong from 1845, which became a weekly service in 1853.

In the novel, the travellers make a stopover in Singapore before arriving in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong to Yokohama, Japan

In the novel *Around the World in Eighty Days*, Phileas Fogg and his valet Passepartout travel from Hong Kong to Yokohama, Japan, by steamer across the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and the Pacific Ocean. This journey takes six days.

In the 21st century, there are many more options for travelling between these two destinations. You could take a plane, train, car ferry, or night train. The fastest way to get from Hong Kong to Yokohama is to fly, which takes around 7 hours and 55 minutes. The cheapest way is to take a combination of the train and plane, which costs between $240 and $460 and takes around 8 hours and 22 minutes.

If you are set on travelling by steamer, you may be able to find a cruise ship that will take you from Hong Kong to Yokohama.

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